


Going Home

by Lemoncatfox



Category: A Hat in Time (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, little idea/au thingy ive been messing with
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-18 17:15:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29372193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lemoncatfox/pseuds/Lemoncatfox
Summary: Conductor leaves work and runs his train, meeting a friend or two on it.[Conductor is blind.]
Comments: 1
Kudos: 18





	Going Home

The Conductor was at his desk in his office, the day of filming ending about an hour or so ago. The Express Owls were on the train, waiting for his return so that they could go home, whenever the owl-creature decided to leave the studio. Tapping the desk a couple times, Conductor grumbled as he felt the familiar bottle, bringing it up to his beak to take a couple of sips before leaving the chair, setting the bottle back down rather hastily. 

Grabbing his coat, he fumbled with it, nearly walking into the door, putting too much focus on the coat. He could hear shoes down the hall, accompanied by Grooves’ voice. He must be coming to tell him that he’s leaving, as he usually does, for reasons unknown to the bird-thing. The shoe’s sliding grew louder, before stopping not too far from where Conductor was currently standing.

“Good afternoon, Conductor!” Grooves’ voice was loud compared to the near silence that was before. Conductor didn’t look up at the penguin, continuing to face forward. Grooves’ didn’t mind. He wasn’t expecting Conductor to look up at him, anyway.

“I assume yer here to tell me yer leaving?” Conductor questioned, already knowing what the other’s answer would be.

Grooves’ nodded, pausing before remembering that Conductor wouldn’t know that he confirmed, and so said it vocally. How he still managed to trip up like that, he wasn’t too sure.

Conductor grunted in response, seeming to not have noticed Grooves’ silence.

“Aye, I am too. Are there any Owls still left in the studio?”

“No, darling, there isn’t anymore. They’ve been on the train for the past hour.”

Conductor’s feathers bristled slightly as he folded his wings. “Right, right.”

The owl(?), without listening for the sound of Grooves moving out of the way, took a step forward, his beak nearly bumping into Grooves, had the penguin not quickly grabbed him, lifting him slightly in the air.

“Woah there, darling. Your beak nearly collided with me.”

“Well, ya should have moved, peck neck!” Conductor squawked, wriggling in Grooves’ grip. 

Grooves spun around, trying not to giggle at the sight of the other’s still fluffed out feathers moving in the wind.

The penguin quickly put Conductor down once he turned, however, as he was afraid the owl-creature would bite him with those sharp teeth of his.

“Right, well, go on. I’ll be right behind you.”

Conductor grumbled again. Grooves was only going the same direction he was, but it felt like he was trying to make sure he didn’t bump into anything. After so many years, Conductor knew where everything in both his and Grooves’ studios was, and Grooves knew this too. Besides, Conductor had a trick for getting around in areas he wasn’t familiar with anyway.

Now outside, Grooves wished him a good afternoon once again, sliding across the half empty parking lot, waving to some of the moon penguins who were still getting in their cars. Conductor turned his head to the side, hearing the talking of the Expressed Owls, gathered around the outside of the train as they usually do when waiting for him.

When they noticed him, they waved their wings, as well as calling for him as he wouldn’t be able to hear their wing flapping from that distance.

“Ready to leave, sir?” One of the Owls asked as the Conductor approached, standing up along with the rest of the Owls.

Conductor nodded, motioning in the owl’s directions to get them on the train. After a moment, no longer hearing the sounds of rustling cloths and feathers, he stepped forward, patting the doorway before grabbing the pole and pulling himself up, getting a footing on the floor as he called to the Owls once more.

“Everyone ready?” He called out, getting a resounding yes from his passengers as they all spread throughout the train cars. The response hurt his ears, to be honest, but he didn’t say anything, instead tapping the train console he stopped in front until he found the correct buttons. The controls were uniquely shaped, as to help him when he first got the trains years ago. 

The Owls, when they first learned that Conductor was blind, were a bit nervous riding the train, but overtime, had gotten used to it. They were also confused on why a blind alleged owl was a movie director, since he couldn’t really see what he had filmed. He had quickly dismissed the questions, and still hasn’t ever given an answer.

Soon, Conductor was sitting in his chair, tail feathers sticking out from a small gap in the chair to prevent him from lying on it when he inevitably falls asleep. For now, he simply remained in his chair, tapping his claws on the armrest while he waited.

Sometime later, as expected, Conductor was now asleep, though him sleeping didn’t really look much different than when he was awake. Really, the only way to tell was that he wasn’t moving, and that his breathing was slowed.

He wasn’t aware how long he was asleep before he felt his tail being yanked on, and instantly he shot up and out the chair, stumbling a little bit in surprise as he reached into his coat, claws gripped on the knife's handle that he stores in his suit.

“Who’s there?” He called, before turning to face the sound of quiet laughter somewhere behind him. “Is that you, lass?”

“Yeah, it’s me.” Came the familiar voice, but there was another bout of laughter who’s voice wasn’t familiar to him.

“Who’s with ya?” He questioned. The laughter was pretty quiet, almost like it was trying to not be heard. Obviously, they had failed.

“Oh! I’m, uhm, Hat Kid’s friend. Bow Kid.” By the tone of her voice, she had been caught off guard. 

“Well, nice ta meet ya, lassie.” Conductor responded, holding a clawed wing out in front of him. He assumed that Bow Kid would be around the same height as Hat Kid was, so he didn’t move his wing up or down. He also didn’t bother looking down, either.

Bow Kid hesitated to shake his claw, after all, she hadn’t been told that the bird-thing was blind. All Hat Kid had said was “Come with me I’m gonna test something.” It didn’t help that her friend spoke really fast, not giving her much time to process the sentence.

Another thing was the bird(?) in question. Bow Kid had seen a lot of birds before, but not one like this. Did he have eyes? If so, were they covered up by his feathers? Or was he lacking them, making him blind and explaining his earlier response? She could also spot the very tip of a knife handle sticking out of his coat if she stared long enough. His sharp teeth weren’t helping.

She glanced nervously to her friend, who was waiting with an eager expression, clearly excited to introduce two of her friends to each other. Bow Kid eventually took it and shook it, and once she let go, her hand stayed up, while his went behind his back as usual, unaware of her hand remaining up.

“So, lass, what are ya doing on me train?” He questioned, ears twitching.

“I came to test something out, and to introduce you to my new friend! Met her not too long ago.”

One of Conductor’s ears went down, and he frowned, giving a confused look on his mostly featureless face. “What were ya testing out?”

“I was seeing if I could sneak up on you.” Hat Kid lost her eagerness as she explained, seeming to realize how bad of an idea it was. He did keep a knife on him, after all.

Conductor only sighed, taking a step back towards the chair. “Well, now that yer here, lass, ya wanna sit in one if these chairs? Yer friend can sit on one too, if she wants.” Conductor gestured to the side of him, where at least one of the chairs were.

“Of course!” Hat Kid perked back up, running past the owl-creature, while her friend followed at a much slower pace. Conductor could feel them both brush past his tail. He sat back down in his chair, quickly falling asleep once more as the children behind him talked, their conversation eventually slowing as they also fell asleep.


End file.
